The Sebei Elgon Cooperative Union has donated Shs 15million to the three districts of Kween, Bukwo and Kapchorwa, to help in the fight against COVID-19. To this end, each district received a Shs 2m cheque, and processed powdered coffee worth Shs 3m to make five million.
According to Elisha Bureto, the union’s Secretary Manager, their contribution is in response to a call by the government for all well-wishers to join hands in supporting the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We would love to give more but this what can afford for now, and we pray that what we are giving to Sebei districts will be of some help as we are fighting COVID-19,”Bureto remarked while handing over the union’s contribution to Kapchorwa district on Monday this week.
The items were received by the Kapchorwa Resident District Commissioner (RDC) and head of the district COVID-19 task force, Emma Cherukut, together with the district’s deputy Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) James Owili Abiya.
Cherukut hailed the cooperative for its support saying it would help the district task force to address some gaps they face in the fight against the pandemic.
“On behalf of government and my own behalf, I want to thank the Sebei Elgon Cooperative for this support. It will help to push our COVID-19 taskforce in achieving our targets,” she said.
For his part, Kapchorwa deputy CAO, Owili, said they would consult as a task force on how to best utilise the items donated by the cooperative.
The RDCs from Kween and Bukwo, the two other districts that benefitted from the union’s largesse, also hailed the cooperative for its support and pledged to use it only for the intended purpose.
Registered in 1964, Sebei Elgon Cooperative Union brings together farmers societies from across the Sebei sub-region.
Uganda is a naturally gifted agricultural country. When you see the volumes of production under the largely subsistence approach that characterises our agriculture, the potential is immense. One sector whose potential has been proven is the Dairy Sector.
Milk production in the country experienced a nose dive in the 1970s all the way through the 80s. We relied alot on imports especially of milk products like powder milk, cheese among others. The Dairy Corporation used to collect and process 20 million litres of milk per annum in 1972 but this dropped to an all time low of less than half a million litres in 1983.
When the Government came up with the Diary Master Plan of 1993, it was a key turning point closely followed by the enactment of the Dairy Industry Act, 1998. As a result of these interventions, the industry monopoly enjoyed by the Dairy Corporation was removed, allowing other private players to venture into processing.
The Dairy market in Uganda is dominated by small scale dairy farmers who contribute 80% to the overall milk production in the nation followed by 20.0% from the large scale dairy farms. Their production is mainly based on low input traditional pasture production systems making the country one of the few low cost producers in the world.
Liberalisation of the sector has seen annual production grow from 9.3 million litres in 1990 to 2.5 Billion in 2019. Production growth is estimated at 18% per annum. This shows the high prospects the sector holds.
Some of the players include; Brookside Dairy, Jesa Farm Dairy, Pearl Dairy Farms, Amos Dairies and GBK Dairies. Due to local market limitations, they have ventured into the export market with Kenya being the leading destination. A move that seems to have disrupted the dairy industry in that country.
According to the Dairy Development Authority (DDA),exports stood at US $ 60 million in 2016 and increased to approximately USD 130 million in 2017/18, a figure expected to hit USD 500 million in a few years from now if trade conditions stabilise. The increase in the net exports has been as a result of increased compliance and meeting standards of Uganda’s milk and milk products on both regional and international markets due to efforts by DDA in regulation and quality assurance. Dairy exports mainly go to EAC, COMESA countries and SADC SADC, UAE, Nigeria, Syria, Egypt, Omen, USA, Nepal & Bangladesh. The exported dairy products include; UHT milk, ghee, casein, whey proteins, and butter oil among others
The East African community was founded to among others foster a large regional market for goods and services through free trade. However, over the years, trade conflicts have cropped up between some member states. In 2019, Kenyan Egg traders came out in arms over the cheap imported Ugandan eggs and wanted a ban placed on their importation but the government refused to cave in to the demand.
Following the assault of dairy products from Uganda on the Kenyan market, tensions begun simmering as the local dairy sector struggled. This culminated in the slapping of a 16% Value Added Tax on Milk imports from Uganda.
Rwanda had already stopped milk imports from Uganda heavily impacting some companies like Pearl Dairy Farms whose Lato Milk product was on demand.
Having nurtured the Dairy Sector from insignificance to the current successes it is enjoying, it would be foolhardy for the Government of Uganda to simply let it struggle through these challenging waters without intervening. Access to a large regional market is an attribute used to lure investors. With an annual production potential of 10 Billion litres of milk the sector is set for further growth. These non tariff barriers are likely to prevent further investment and kill budding businesses that could have used the EAC market to become significant global industry players.
The onus therefore is with the regional governments to come together and address this and other trade issues being affected by Non Tariff barriers.
https://www.uhuruinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/screen-shot-2020-05-15-at-10.14.52-300x202-1.png202300tchttps://www.uhuruinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/uhuru-logo-300x218.pngtc2020-05-27 08:14:412020-05-27 10:16:14Dairy Milk, the woes of Ugandan exporters
A section of youth from Miirya Sub County in Masindi district, under their umbrella organisation-Agri-planet Uganda- have started promoting agriculture through music.
Already, they have recruited several talented musicians from the Bunyoro region to compose and record music that inspires people to embrace agriculture.
“We need to change the trend by promoting Agriculture through music, and I am sure we are going to achieve it,” explained Cleophs Alinaitwe, a proprietor of Agri-Planet Uganda, a youth-based platform and social enterprise that focuses on imparting agricultural skills to young people in Masindi district.
“Many songs have been made promoting other sectors, but agriculture has hardly been thought of. That is why we have introduced Agri-Edutainment into our programmes to inspire the young generation and the entire population to enjoy agriculture” Alinaitwe said.
Alinaitwe revealed that the organisation has so far recruited four musicians who ahve already released one song which is inspiring the young generation to enjoy agriculture.
“Three more songs promoting agriculture are in pipeline now, and will be widely circulated on different platforms once released,” he said.
“I call upon musicians in the Bunyoro sub region to refocus their music to sectors which will benefit them, such as agriculture,” he said.
Youthful members of Agri-Planet Uganda. They say they have benefited a lot from the organisation. Photo By Yosam Gucwaki.jpg
Joseph Kirya, aka Badman Sniper, is one of the musicians contracted to promote agriculture through music. He notes that after understanding the value of agriculture, he is now dedicated to creating music that will inspire embrace of agriculture as a life changer.
“I am dedicated to making music which will encourage farmers in Bunyoro sub-region to enjoy agriculture,” explained Kirya.
Another musician who was brought on board, Gerald Twesige aka Lovens official says music is the best way of disseminating agricultural information adding that they will strive to produce quality music that farmers can enjoy.
Big dreams
Ignitious Ahumuza, another of the organisation’s proprietors, says that Agri-Planet Uganda’s vision is to transform Africa’s agricultural sector as an enabler of rural economies.
He added that the group is in the process of facilitating the formation of the Albertine poultry association and the Albertine banana farmers’ association through which they hope to provide extension services to farmers.
“We could have completed this exercise only that we were antagonized by the Coronavirus pandemic. I am calling upon farmer organisations in Masindi and the entire region to join us such that we can make agriculture admirable by attaining the necessary skills,” said Ahumuza.
In addition, the organisation owns more than five acres of banana and over 500 poultry chickens birds. Current production stands at 15 bunches of banana a week, and 10 trays of eggs per day.
They also hope to equip youthful farmers with important skills, lobby for markets on their behalf and set up a Farmers’ Resource Centre.
https://www.uhuruinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Youthful-members-of-Agri-Planet-Uganda.-They-say-they-have-benefited-a-lot-from-the-organisation.-Photo-By-Yosam-Gucwaki-300x225-1.jpg225300tchttps://www.uhuruinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/uhuru-logo-300x218.pngtc2020-05-26 09:03:062020-05-27 10:16:18Masindi youth promoting agriculture through music
